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The Best Cinco de Mayo Festivities in L.A.
We're well-aware that Cinco de Mayo (aka Cinco de Drinko) is an Americanized excuse to party, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time. Here are some of our favorite goings-on around town this Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Casa Vega
The Spa at Four Seasons Beverly Hills
Instead of spending your Sunday getting wasted, how about trying a new kind of body shot? A Mexican spa treatment called the Punta Mita at the Four Seasons BH is designed to improve circulation, aid digestion, and relieve fatigue. But let's get real; the draw here is being turned into a walking cocktail.
It starts out with a slathering of sea salt scrub that's infused with lemon and lime oils. After being buffed out with this salt-rim like mixture for a good 25 minutes, it's time to rinse off and get ready for the good stuff. Casamigos tequila, which is owned by George Clooney and his buddies, is drizzled on your skin and then worked in by your masseuse. (The healing properties are actually similar to the old wives' remedy of using rubbing alcohol on sore muscles, but doing it with top shelf spirits is just so much more glam.) After all your kinks have been untangled, you get to sip on a margarita in the plush waiting room.
We can't speak to the health claims quite yet, but we will say that our skin was as smooth as Clooney's booze after the treatment. And we've never felt so good after waking up smelling like tequila.
Four Seasons Beverly Hills is located at 300 S Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 275-5200. The Punta Mita treatments (60 minutes/$175) are offered through the summer.
This is Not a Pop-Up
The pop-up at Tiago is hosting chef Adrien Nieto, a FOX-TV MasterChef alum and Ventura's Jolly Oyster Consultant, to prep a meal that will focus the stunning seafood of Baja California. The menu includes sea scallop ceviche with jicama and hominy; a Cinco de Mayo citrus salad with wild greens, cukes, and meyer lemon; saffron crab tostadas with grapefruit, avocado, cabbage and herbs; nopales tostadas; and tequila-spiked curros con chocolate. For some extra scratch you can also toss in some freshly shucked Baja oysters, steamed clams with chorizo, or a market veggie quesadilla. The prix fixe menu is $50 not inclusive of tax and gratuity.
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This is Not a Pop-Up is located at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in the Tiago restaurant space, (323) 451-1767
La Cuevita
1933 Group’s Mexican grotto bar La Cuevita is doubling up on fiestas this weekend, celebrating their one year anniversary as well as Cinco de Drinko. The Highland Park bar has become known on the Eastside for their selection of agave-based spirits, and tonight they'll be toasting appropriately. The party goes from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. with live music, $5 margaritas, and $5 Dos Equis drafts with a tequila shot.
La Cuevita is located at 5922 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, (323) 255-6871
Placita Olvera
Univision Radios is bringing their whole crew down to partake in the celebration of Mexico’s victory over French forces in Puebla, Mexico in 1862. There'll be popular and traditional music, exhibitor booths, dancing, and food -- lots and lots of food.
Placita Olvera is located at 200 N. Main Street, Downtown
Photo courtesy of Las Perlas
Las Perlas
Downtown's Las Perlas is home base for agave-based spirits, and they'll be serving all sorts of holiday specials on Sunday. Things kick off at 4 p.m. with $7 Herradura Blanco shots, $7 Herradura Reposado shots, $6 El Jimador Margaritas, $6 Palomas, $6 Batangas, and $5 El Jimador tequila shots. Taquero Julio Arenas, who was just voted the best taco in L.A by L.A. TACO'S Taco Madness, will also be on hand offering street tacos for $1.50.
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Las Perlas is located at 107 East 6th Street, Downtown, (213) 988-8355
Casa Vega
This year, old Hollywood and new Hollywood have joined forces at Casa Vega. The San Fernando Valley's 57-year-old Mexican mainstay has partnered with George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Mike Meldman’s newest undertaking, Casamigos Tequila. Instead of turning the spririts into a spa treatment like the Four Seasons, Casa Vega will be keeping it traditional with drinkable cocktail specials like the Mi Casa es Su Casa, made with Casamigos Blanco tequila, basil, lime, agave nectar and grapefruit soda for $7.95; as well as Casamigos Margarita for $7.95, and $7 specials on reposado and blanco tequilas served straight up. The kitchen will be open too, which is a good thing because you'll need an order or two of red mole chicken and warm churros with salted caramel after all that drinking.
Casa Vega is located at 13301 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-4868
Photo courtesy of Tortilla Republic
Tortilla Republic
Tortilla Republic in WeHo is hosting their first Grande Cinco de Mayo Block Party from 2-7 p.m. on Sunday. They'll be taking over El Tovar Place and the West Hollywood open air parking lot adjacent to the restaurant and transforming it into a giant party featuring Mexican food, drinks, and live music. Some of the highlights of the shindig include a Top 40 mariachi band and a piñata pit. There's a suggested donation of $10 for general admission and $20 VIP, with the proceeds going to Project Angel Food. Tortilla Republic will be featuring specially priced social margarita pitchers, buckets of beer specials, and a photo booth so that you can have memories after the tequila kicks in.Tortilla Republic is located at 616 N Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood, (310) 657-9888
Chipotle
Granted this isn't the most authentic of celebrations, but it's worth nothing that Chipotle did just launch their in-store margarita service. Pair your made-to-order burrito with their new 'ritas made with Patrón Silver tequila, triple sec, a blend of fresh lime and lemon juices, and organic agave nectar. They're only $6.95, which really isn't a bad deal no matter where you are.
Chipotlehas locations throughout Los Angeles.
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Tinhorn Flats
Get a little Tex Mex on Cinco over at the new Tinhorn Flats in Hollywood. They've got cheap eats and drinks all day long, including dollar tacos, $4 margaritas, and $3 Coronas and Dos Equis.
Tinhorn Flats is located at 1724 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, (323) 462-2210
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